Royal Affair, Brazilian style

You might be familiar with the upcoming marriage of the UK’s Prince Harry with Meghan Markle. But unless you’re a true junky for news about the world’s royals – and Brazil’s royalty in particular – you might not know that Brazil’s imperial family is about to experience a change in power.

However, before we dig ourselves into this scintillating world of monarchic micropolitics, I want to offer some context on Brazil’s royal family. Here are a few royal facts:

1. After gaining independence from Portugal in 1822, Brazil did not become a Republic like its Latin American neighbors. Instead, we had a constitutional monarchy, Brazil’s Empire, which ruled the country for 67 years until a military coup took over power in 1889.
2. After its fall, the Imperial family lived in exile – but didn’t lose its traditions. The fallen House of Orléans-Braganza continued to create new generations comme il faut – that is, giving their children the proper education for a future emperor and marrying their family members to royals from other countries, typically from Europe. Why, you might ask? The dethroned family held onto their dreams of reclaiming power – even if little has been done to make that actually happen.
3. Brazil’s Imperial family is split into two branches. The first one...